


Photograph

by CobraOnTheCob



Series: Zutara Week 2018 [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, F/M, First fanfic on ao3 please be patient as i stumble around with everything, Modern AU, Most of these characters are mentions, Zutara Week, Zutara Week 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 14:24:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15293460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CobraOnTheCob/pseuds/CobraOnTheCob
Summary: Zuko is reminiscing over old memories and has a ton of regret and emotional baggage.





	Photograph

**Author's Note:**

> First time participating in Zutara Week!

Zuko dug through the old photographs in the old tattered album. Here he was, thirty six years old, and a mess. He made the mistake of returning to Ozai, to Azula, to Mai. He thumbed through the old photos, reminiscing each captured memory. He spread the photos out in chronological order, and picked up the first one, where he, Sokka, and Aang were in a tangled heap on the floor.

_"Sokka whyyyyyy?" Zuko shrieked dramatically from the floor, watching as Sokka took the win. The seventeen year old smirked._

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_"Gotta break your win streak sometime, buddy," Sokka gloated. Zuko got back onto the couch, but as they played and Zuko saw himself losing, Zuko tackled Sokka off the couch, knocking the controller, while simultaneously knocking Sokka's character out of the ring._

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_"HA! That'll teach you for breaking your winning strea - OOMF!" Zuko yelped as Sokka pulled Zuko to the floor and attempted to pin him. Zuko arched and moved, the hardwood floor not ideal for a wrestling match, but Sokka was taking it too far!_

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_"Guys, guys, just so you know, I beat you guys while you two were squirming on the floor," Aang said nonchalantly. Zuko looked up from his pinning attempt on Sokka, and saw Aang's character dancing on the screen. Zuko sprang and snatched the eighth grader from the couch and both he and Sokka attacked the kid. Aang yelped, no match for the two experienced wrestlers who definitely had weight against him. Momo, who had been sleeping in that room, suddenly jumped on Aang's head, joining in on the three way wrestling match._

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_"WHO IS THUMPING - AHAHAHAHA!" Zuko looked up and saw Katara standing in the door, and with a devious movement of her thumb, snapped a photo._

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_"Katara please delete that!" Zuko pleaded to the sophomore. Katara giggled._

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_"Make me!" Katara said, sprinting from the door._

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Zuko smiled, glad that Katara had taken that photo. Momo was long gone, having passed on peacefully in his sleep. He remembered the call from Aang, tearing up and asking if Zuko could come over for the funeral. 

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Zuko didn't go.

Zuko continued to go through the old photos, barely seeing the photos from road trips and hanging out with Sokka, Suki, Katara, Toph, and Aang at the arcade.

His hand stopped at the photo of him and Katara, and a tear fell.

_He and Katara were sitting outside of the locker rooms, and although the night was cold, neither felt it, as both were there, giving each other warmth._

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_"You know, I was so scared you wouldn't get a pin, I nearly stepped outside!" Katara said, laughing. Zuko smiled, and turned his face to her._

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_"You know what really made my night? You pinned that jacked boy, and when everyone was trying to show off to the other team, you gestured to us to stop. That's what I love about you the most, grace and sportsmanship even in victory. Everyone thought you were going to get pinned in the first round, but you kept fighting and pinned him in the second round, and you didn't gloat." Zuko said._

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_"Thanks. Sokka is a bit grumpy that he had to cut weight and his opponent didn't show." Katara murmured._

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_"I'm sure Suki's comforting him with a lot of nachos," Zuko laughed._

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_"And kisses," Katara laughed back. Zuko's stomach dropped, Katara's eyes suddenly locked onto his._

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_"Can I..."_

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_"We're dating, Zuko. Of course." Katara said, leaning in._

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_"Um...but...aren't first kisses usually the most botched?"_

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_"Don't overthink it," Katara chided, leaning in more. Zuko leaned in and well..._

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He blinked the tears away, he nearly botched that first kiss because he was way too nervous, but Katara smiled and gave him a second kiss.

When he ran to Ozai, Katara was heartbroken.

The distance made them break up, and Zuko made the foolish mistake of dating Mai. Now he had to sit here with a shredded heart as he knew from Katara's Instagram that she married a nice guy named Haru and had a few kids with him.

He was so jealous and angry at the time that he didn't bother knowing their names, and this anger strained his relationship with Mai.

He pushed the photos back into the album, took said album and threw it into the car. He looked back at the house one last time, then picked up the phone and scrolled through his contacts, and pressed on the one he was looking for.

**Author's Note:**

> The themes of Zutara week was inspired by different songs, this one was inspired by Photograph by Nickelback.
> 
> I'm posting these early because I'll be without my laptop when Zutara week starts.
> 
> For reference, they're all wrestlers because I'm wrestling trash. 
> 
> what can i say i'm biased when it comes to my sport ahahaha
> 
> Update, 4/27/19: in any modern AU I have, Aang plays basketball


End file.
